CometChat and Sendbird are two of the most widely used chat and messaging software development kits (SDKs) for building real-time communication into apps, websites, and platforms. SDKs allow you to build your chat infrastructure without having to develop it from scratch.
Both CometChat and Sendbird offer powerful tools for developers, but they differ in setup complexity, feature focus, scalability, and how they handle third-party integrations such as Salesforce.
But which one is right for you?
The right choice isn’t just about features; it also depends on your team size, technical resources, and how tightly your chat experience needs to connect to your CRM and workflows. And of course, there are preferences to consider.
In this CometChat vs Sendbird comparison, I’ve tested and judged each platform against a range of criteria to help you decide which real-time messaging SDK is best for you.
What is Sendbird?
Sendbird is a cloud-based communication platform that provides APIs (including the Sendbird chat API) and SDKs for adding in-app chat, voice, and video to digital products. It’s designed for developers building real-time messaging into mobile and web applications at scale. Sendbird is known for its reliability, low-latency infrastructure, and support for high-volume, global messaging environments.
- Best for: Sendbird is best for enterprise-level applications that need scalable, high-performance chat or multimodal communication built directly into their product. It’s a strong fit for teams with in-house developers who want complete control over how to implement and customize chat experiences.
- Key features:
- Real-time messaging APIs and SDKs for iOS, Android, Web, and backend platforms
- Group chat, one-on-one messaging, and open channels for large communities
- Voice and video calling with Web Real-Time Communication support
- Moderation tools, including mute, ban, and content filtering
- Message search, delivery receipts, and read status
- Webhooks and backend integrations for custom workflows
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance features
- Limitations:
- Requires developer resources to implement and maintain
- No built-in chatbot or AI automation for customer interaction
- Limited Salesforce integration, often requiring custom development or middleware
- Can become expensive as message volume and active users grow
- Pricing
- Sendbird’s pricing is somewhat granular, depending on the product you choose (Chat, Business Messaging, or Calls) and the number of monthly active users (MAUs).
- The following pricing is for Chat with 5,000 MAUs. You can start with a free trial before you pay.
- Starter 5K: $349 per month
- Pro 5K: $499 per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
What is CometChat?
CometChat is a communication SDK platform that helps developers add in-app chat, voice, and video features into web and mobile applications. It offers a broad set of pre-built UI components and APIs, making it faster to implement than real-time messaging systems built from scratch. You can get a chat on your platform in minutes. CometChat supports one-on-one messaging, group chats, and calling features across multiple platforms.
- Best for: CometChat is best for small to midsized teams and SaaS companies looking to launch chat and calling features quickly with less engineering effort than more enterprise-heavy platforms.
- Key features
- WordPress plug-ins for instant deployment
- Ready-to-use user interface (UI) kits for faster implementation
- Real-time one-on-one and group messaging
- Voice and video calling across devices
- User presence and read receipts
- Push notifications and message history
- Moderation tools (block, mute, user roles)
- Webhooks and Representational State Transfer APIs for custom workflows
- On-premises and cloud deployment options
- Limitations
- Limited built-in AI or automation features
- Custom development required for Salesforce integration
- Restrictive UI customization at scale
- Higher overall cost for advanced features
- Pricing
- CometChat is less expensive than Sendbird. Its competitive pricing is one of the main reasons it made it into this roundup of Sendbird alternatives. CometChat offers a detailed breakdown of its pricing compared with Sendbird’s.
- You can start with a free trial before you pay.
- Basic: $239 per month
- Advanced: $339 per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
An alternative tool: What is Jotform AI Chatbot Builder?
Jotform AI Chatbot is a no-code platform that lets businesses create AI-powered chatbots and virtual agents without writing code. It integrates easily with websites (including WordPress) so you can deploy agents quickly. Your agents can handle user queries, lead capture, support requests, or other conversational workflows.
- Best for: Jotform AI Chatbot Builder is ideal for small to midsized teams, startups, or businesses without a dedicated engineering team. It’s also a strong choice for marketing, sales, or customer support teams looking to deploy a chatbot quickly for lead capture, FAQs, or basic customer service.
- Key features
- Drag-and-drop, no-code chatbot creation that lets you deploy chat agents without a developer
- Customizable conversation flows and chatbot appearance (tone, branding, UI) to match your brand
- Ability to instantly embed chatbots on websites (including WordPress with a plug-in), forms, or landing pages
- Multichannel chatbot support across website chat, live chat, voice, phone, SMS, or integrations with tools such as Slack or calendar apps
- Chatbots that guide users through forms, collect structured responses, and feed data back into workflows for lead generation, surveys, or customer support
- Seamless integration with Jotform’s broader ecosystem (Forms, Tables, Workflows, Apps), making it an especially powerful tool if you’re already using Jotform
- Integrations with tools such as Salesforce (For example, Jotform Salesforce Agent works on websites and forms, engaging users and feeding clean, structured data back into Salesforce. With features including no-code setup, real-time sync, human takeover, custom branding, and integration across Jotform Forms, Tables, and Workflows, it’s the fastest way to extend Salesforce automation beyond the CRM itself.)
- Limitations
- Less control over low-level infrastructure compared with developer SDKs
- Pricing
- You can start with up to five AI Agents and 100 monthly conversations for free.
- Bronze: $34 per user, per month for 25 AI Agents and 1,000 monthly conversations
- Silver: $39 per user, per month for 50 AI Agents and 2,500 monthly conversations
- Gold: $99 per user, per month for 100 AI Agents and 10,000 monthly conversations
- Enterprise: Pricing available upon request
- You can start with up to five AI Agents and 100 monthly conversations for free.
What you’ll notice when comparing them
 Jotform AI Chatbot Builder |  CometChat |  Sendbird | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | No-code chatbot and conversational AI for websites/forms; lead capture, support, automation | Real-time in-app chat, voice, video for web & mobile apps | Scalable enterprise-grade messaging, chat, voice, video for apps and large userbases |
| Multiple-choice questions | Very easy drag-and-drop, no-code setup; no developer needed | Easier than building from scratch thanks to pre-built UI kits and APIs, but moderate developer involvement needed | More developer-heavy; requires solid engineering for setup and customization |
| AI/moderation | Built-in AI for conversational workflows and support automation | Basic moderation tools (mute, block, user roles), but no built-in AI automation | Basic moderation (filtering, muting, banning, role-based control); no AI automation included |
| Integrations | Native integration with Jotform ecosystem (Forms, Tables, Approvals, Reports); direct integration with CRM via built-in Salesforce-connected agent | APIs and webhooks for custom integrations, but CRM (e.g., Salesforce) requires custom development | Highly flexible APIs and webhooks for integrations, but CRM integration (Salesforce, etc.) requires custom work |
| Pricing | Free to start, packages starting at $34/month | Free to start, packages starting at $239/month | Free to start, packages starting at $349/month |
The biggest difference between CometChat and Sendbird is whom they’re best for.
CometChat and Sendbird are developer-first tools designed to help engineering teams build real-time messaging systems into apps and platforms from the ground up. They give you control, flexibility, and scalability.
The problem?
Flexibility and control are desirable only if you have the technical resources to manage them.
Both platforms scale well at the enterprise level, but neither offers a simple, out-of-the-box CRM integration (especially with Salesforce). Connecting chat data to your CRM typically requires custom development, middleware, or third-party tools, adding time and complexity to the setup.
💡 Did you know?
Jotform AI Chatbot Builder gives teams a ready-made, no-code chatbot platform with built-in AI, lead capture, and Salesforce integration. You can combine Jotform AI Chatbot Builder with Jotform Salesforce Agent for deeper CRM automation, lead routing, and AI-powered service workflows.
Which product wins for whom?
Sendbird wins if you’re building an enterprise-grade application that requires highly scalable, multimodal messaging (chat, voice, and video) and have the resources to support custom development for Salesforce or CRM integration.
Sendbird is ideal for large teams that want complete control over communication infrastructure and are comfortable managing complex integrations internally.
CometChat wins if you want flexible chat and calling APIs with faster setup than that of enterprise platforms and more approachable pricing at lower scales.
CometChat is a strong choice for startups and midsized teams that need to add real-time communication to an app without building everything from scratch.
Jotform AI Chatbot Builder wins if your goal is automation, not infrastructure. If you’re considering trialing a CometChat alternative because you don’t want to manage SDKs, servers, or integrations, Jotform is a better fit. It’s ideal for teams looking to launch conversational AI instantly, sync data directly with Salesforce, and automate lead capture and support workflows without writing code.
You’ll likely prefer Jotform AI Chatbot Builder if
- You want a no-code chat solution.
- You care more about automation, engagement, and CRM sync than developer setup.
- You want to deploy chatbots instantly across websites and forms.
- You’re evaluating CometChat alternatives for AI-powered sales and support.
Not sure what you’ll prefer? Try the solutions with the lowest risk. Jotform offers a free-forever plan that lets you try five different agents.
The final verdict on CometChat vs Sendbird
CometChat and Sendbird are both excellent choices for developers who want full control over chat infrastructure, including real-time messaging, voice, and video. Both CometChat and Sendbird are built for scale, but crucial integrations, especially with CRMs such as Salesforce, still require custom development.
Neither platform includes built-in AI chat or native CRM automation. If your priority is automation, lead capture, and real-time Salesforce sync, Jotform AI Chatbot Builder is the simpler, faster alternative.
This article is for product managers, app developers, CRM integration specialists, and anyone who wants to compare real-time messaging SDKs like CometChat and Sendbird to find the best fit for building scalable chat infrastructure or deploying AI-powered chatbot solutions with seamless Salesforce integration.
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